Biggest ducking in boxing

It's hard to say that Bowe didn't duck Lewis, I think. Maybe it came down to financial terms at the end, but surely facing Lewis would have meant more money than either Dokes or Ferguson. And from a sporting perspective it wasn't even close.

Floyd ducking Williams is utter nonsense, since he wasn't even ranked during Floyd's first term and not in any way an outstanding challenger during Floyd's second term either.

Folley... More of a case can be made there. Floyd took on Harris instead after Folley and Machen had fought to a draw, but that probably looks worse in hindsight than it actually did at the time. Harris came off a win against highly ranked Pastrano and was ranked right behind Folley and Machen at the time. That he would achieve little of consequence afterwards was of course impossible to know at the time.

Foreman didn't duck Quarry. Maybe he didn't fancy facing him, but Jerry never put George in a situation where he had to, either.

Jeffries - Johnson and Dempsey - Wills are the big ones as far as I am concerned. Mills and Lesnevich ducked Charles and Moore like the plague, as well.

 

John L. Sullivan avoiding Peter Jackson
Sandro Lopopolo shamelessly ducking Jose Napoles
Wilfred Benitez skirting around the rematch with Antonio cervantes

 

Hill was a far better opponent than Nunn its not even close. Nunn was the rightful opponent based on rankings but no one could possibly think he was actually a better opponent in 1998. Not at the time and DEFINITELY not with hindsight.

The winner of the super 6 was supposed to fight Bute. Ward flat out ducked him and choose to fight the corpse of Chad Dawson instead.

 

Bradley ducked Amir Khan

 

Stylistically, Nunn would have been more difficult for Roy.

Ward said before the final of the Super 6 that the winner of the tournament had to fight Bute afterwards at some point.

Ward then beat Froch in the final with a double fracture of his hand.

Afterwards, he was happy to sit back and take some time out.

Froch then challenged Bute and destroyed him.

After that, nobody was interested in a Ward-Bute fight, as Bute was deemed as being damaged goods.

Ward then went and chose Dawson, who was just as dangerous but more proven at the highest level.

It’s just a shame that Dawson struggled like hell to make the weight. And because of that, Ward doesn’t get much credit for the win.

A guy who feared Bute would not have fought Dawson. That would have been illogical. Not unless he’d have known for certain that Dawson would have struggled. Also, Dawson offered to go down to SMW, Ward didn’t force him.

IMHO, had Froch not have destroyed Bute, Ward would eventually have gone on to have fought him at some point.

Ward only chose Dawson because Bute was out of the picture. Under different circumstances, I don’t think he’d have pursued him.